Heirloom Sheaffer Snorkel

[TroutWhisperer]

For those of you not aware, I recently discovered my dad's Sheaffer Snorkel, and several members of this forum recommended I send it to Danny Fudge to inspect and/or restore.

 

I did just that, and the pen was returned last week. I loaded it with Diamine Montblanc Irish Green ink and wrote a note to thank you folks for your recommendation. Unfortunately, I'm not able to scan/photograph it, but thank you just the same.

 

It looks similar to the burgundy "Special" modem at Pen Hero, but with a simple steel nib. I gravitate toward fine or extra-fine points with ballpoint pens, but this medium nib is quite enjoyable, even on engineering paper. I wrote a few cards and postcards from a recent trip to Denali National Park, and remarked at the shading produced with Diamine Chocolate.

 

Anyway, I am grateful to be writing with my dad's pen. Happy writing, everyone!

 

 

[jar]

Fantastic. The Snorkels didn't hold all that much ink but were really efficient in putting it down. Be sure to read the filling instructions and get in the habit of never pulling the filler tube out when the snorkel is submerged.

[tamiya]

@OP: at what stage of life did your Dad use his Snorkel?

 

Snorkel is what brought me back into this NutHouse!!

 

Snorkel was one of my Mum's school pens in England. When I was a kid & used some FPs, I clearly remember watching grandma filling Vacs, levers, pistons & others with Quink... but that one that etched in little kiddy memory permanently is the sight of that Snorkel doing its magic trick!

 

Before Internet I didn't know it was called "Snorkel". Cue 20-30yrs on occassion I'd describe that fantastic system to non-FP ppl and they'd all think I'm crazy... many mentioned Touchdown but none of those had that elusive retractable filler tube to "keep the nib clean". Grateful to the Internet for preserving my sanity (jury's still out though).

 

Last yr mum relinquished possession of her old school pen roll and there was indeed a monogrammed Snorkel amongst the bunch, all crusty with dried ink. Plastics had cracks but after cleaning amazingly it still functioned... 2 new o-rings and some silicone lube made it work even better, didn't need resac'ing. (of course by then I had acquired a few Snorkels of my own plus gained some experience tinkering with them; doubt I'd dare DIYing with mum's actual pen if I had never done it before.)

 

Snorkel is still mindblowingly amazing today!

 

 

 

Fantastic. The Snorkels didn't hold all that much ink but were really efficient in putting it down. Be sure to read the filling instructions and get in the habit of never pulling the filler tube out when the snorkel is submerged.

yup they only fill *after* plunger is pushed and may take 3-5secs to fill its tank, depending on how aged the sac is

 

They do suck up a decent volume of ink (on my final fill pushdown, I push down as FAST as I can without making a mess) and the old Skrip reservoir bottle is perfect for filling Snorkels from... and writes longer than any modern std converter equipped pen I have. I suspect it's because they don't have a finned feed inside section that holds/wastes ink.

 

Conversely when they run out outside when you haven't got an ink source, they run out! Licking the nib might let you finish the sentence but topping up from your water bottle isn't the same as with a finny pen. Normally I can half fill the converter with water and it'll write for rest of the day - there's enough ink still in there that you'd barely tell it's been diluted.

[PenHero]

Congrats! My dad got a black Snorkel Statesman when he was in school in tthe 1950s. I had it serviced for him and he uses it all the time.

 

http://www.penhero.com/PenInHand/2003/Pics/PenInHandAug03_01.jpg

 

This is one of the reasons I collect pens - they are personal. Many have a story.

 

Here is an article on the pen:

 

My Father's Statesman

 

http://www.penhero.com/PenInHand/2003/PenInHand_Aug2003.htm

[TroutWhisperer]

Fantastic. The Snorkels didn't hold all that much ink but were really efficient in putting it down. Be sure to read the filling instructions and get in the habit of never pulling the filler tube out when the snorkel is submerged.

 

Good advice, jar!

 

@OP: at what stage of life did your Dad use his Snorkel?

 

Snorkel is what brought me back into this NutHouse!!

 

Snorkel was one of my Mum's school pens in England. When I was a kid & used some FPs, I clearly remember watching grandma filling Vacs, levers, pistons & others with Quink... but that one that etched in little kiddy memory permanently is the sight of that Snorkel doing its magic trick!

 

Before Internet I didn't know it was called "Snorkel". Cue 20-30yrs on occassion I'd describe that fantastic system to non-FP ppl and they'd all think I'm crazy... many mentioned Touchdown but none of those had that elusive retractable filler tube to "keep the nib clean". Grateful to the Internet for preserving my sanity (jury's still out though).

 

Last yr mum relinquished possession of her old school pen roll and there was indeed a monogrammed Snorkel amongst the bunch, all crusty with dried ink. Plastics had cracks but after cleaning amazingly it still functioned... 2 new o-rings and some silicone lube made it work even better, didn't need resac'ing. (of course by then I had acquired a few Snorkels of my own plus gained some experience tinkering with them; doubt I'd dare DIYing with mum's actual pen if I had never done it before.)

 

Snorkel is still mindblowingly amazing today!

<snip>

 

About the time he completed service in the U.S. military.

 

Glad you have your mother's pens!

 

I agree about the Snorkel. As an engineer, I admire this example of "machinery."

 

Congrats! My dad got a black Snorkel Statesman when he was in school in tthe 1950s. I had it serviced for him and he uses it all the time.

 

http://www.penhero.com/PenInHand/2003/Pics/PenInHandAug03_01.jpg

 

This is one of the reasons I collect pens - they are personal. Many have a story.

 

Here is an article on the pen:

 

My Father's Statesman

 

http://www.penhero.com/PenInHand/2003/PenInHand_Aug2003.htm

 

Great story!